Climber's history-making Denali quest turns life-threatening

Time is running out and conditions have turned life-threatening for Lonnie Dupre, who is attempting to become the first person to solo-climb Alaska's Mt. Denali, North America's tallest peak, during the brutally harsh month of January.

Dupre spent the past seven days holed up in a narrow snow cave at 17,200 feet -- Denali stands at 20,320 feet -- as 50-mph winds raged across the frozen landscape and temperatures reached 40 below.

On Tuesday afternoon, according to expedition manager Tom Surprenant, the climber took advantage of a brief favorable weather window -- a storm cleared and winds had subsided to 25 mph -- and descended to a larger cave that serves as a makeshift camp at 14,200 feet. Surprenant, who is headquartered in Talkeetna, Alaska, said during a phone interview that Dupre had been experiencing headaches and was in danger of developing mountain sickness and hypothermia because of prolonged exposure to high altitude and frigid temperatures.

In his latest audio report, posted Monday on his website via satellite phone, Dupre said he was growing weary because the air was so thin, and that he was having trouble keeping warm.

I can't climb up, and I can't climb down," said the renowned polar explorer from Grand Marais, Minnesota. Denali, also known as Mt. McKinley, is dangerous even in the summer because of unpredictable weather and vast crevasse fields. The danger level increases exponentially once winter sets in. Only nine expeditions have reached the summit during the winter; six deaths occurred during those trips.

Only four people have made solo-ascents during the winter but none accomplished this in January. One of them -- Japan's Naomi Uemura -- disappeared after planting a flag at the summit. Winds can exceed 100 mph and temperatures can plummet to 50 below.

Dupre began his journey Jan. 7 from the Kahiltna Glacier, at 7,200 feet, with enough supplies to last 38 days. Dupre, however, is no stranger to adversity or the frozen high-polar universe, through which he has traveled about 15,000 miles, including a kayaking expedition around Greenland and a dog-sled journey across the North Pole.

Eight Injured in Sugarloaf Ski Lift Accident

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The number of skiers injured after a ski lift at Maine’s Sugarloaf resort derailed Tuesday morning has risen to eight, up from an earlier count of six, local media reported.

According to WTMW, an ABC affiliate for southern Maine and northern New Hampshire, citing a source at nearby Franklin Memorial Hospital, eight people were hospitalized after the ski lift derailment, including one patient at Maine Medical Center in Portland and another at the Maine Medical Center's trauma center.

The Spillway East lift rope derailed from the eighth tower at about 10:30 a.m., while carrying 220 passengers. Five chairs fell 25 to 30 feet to the ground below, Sugarloaf officials said in a press release.

“All injured guests have been treated and are being transported to area hospitals. At this point none of the injuries are believed to be life threatening,” the resort said.

After the initial injury count at six, a seventh passenger was sent to Franklin Memorial Hospital in the afternoon after he said he felt some pain.

“We’re deeply concerned about those who were injured,” said Sugarloaf spokesman Ethan Austin in a statement. “And we’re committed to understanding the cause of this incident.”


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